My dog has a smelly ear infection and won't eat. What can I do now?

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry that Bear is having this issue. Yes, I do think you should take him to MedVet today as an urgent appointment. Typically steroids (like Prednisone) actually increase appetite so I am concerned that he has not eaten in 48 hours despite being on steroids. I hope this helps. Best wishes.

No, it’s not really common unless the rear infection has ruptured the ear drum and is really down in the middle ear, which is very very rare. I would be concerned that another problem is going on. I would recommend a follow up appointment with your veterinarian. They may want to perform some blood work for more information. Good luck, I hope he improves soon.

Hi. Most likely your veterinarian is concerned about food allergies. There are several prescription foods to try. If he doesn't like the one, discuss with your veterinarian trying one of the others

Yes, Snuffy probably has a bacterial or yeast infection still present in his ear, if there is still a smell present. Often an ear wash designed for dog ears will cure a mild infection, but if he is painful, itching, or scratching his ear then he needs to have a vet look down into the ear canal and take a sample to see what kind of infection is going on. Then he might need a treatment to put in the ear and an anti-itching medication like Apoquel to help heal the ear and make it less painful. The cephalexin is not likely going to help an ear infection, but might have been for a skin infection related to the dog bite wound. Hope that helps!

Antibiotics can cause an upset stomach leading to a decreased appetite, but I'm concerned that it's excessive and Simba has other symptoms going on. If the ear infection is severe, it could cause these symptoms but I can't say for certain without seeing him in person. I'd take him into a vet immediately to get checked out.

Aww I’m sorry to hear that Lil Boy is having a tough time. I agree that his signs are suspicious for an ear infection. Unfortunately, there is nothing really suitable for an ear infection over the counter. I definitely do NOT recommend putting anything in the ear (alcohol, vinegar, peroxide) as these can actually make things worse. I recommend seeing a vet sooner rather than later as it is easier and cheaper to treat an ear infection earlier on.

Poor girl. If the preliminary medications from your vet didn’t improve her condition, then it’s time to consider getting Xena a culture done of her ear to determine what medicaiton can clear things up. This is a specific test that will determine what medicaiton combination is needed to get rid of he infection. I also am not sure if your vet has tried Posatex ear medication yet, but this is strong ear medicaiton that can help with resistant infections. Also pain medicaiton (steroids work well for ears when they are really inflamed) can also be prescribed by your vet to help with Xena’s discomfort. Discuss with your vet about the above recommendations. Best wishes moving forward with Xena and her ears. Take care.